Zombie Overload (Book 3): Learning To Live

by C. M. Wright

  After several trips in and out, leaving more and more on the porch, they finally all come out and Will tells Dustin to move the bus. The man from the roof runs around the side of the house with Jake. Obviously, they are getting another vehicle.

  "Hey, Dad. You ok?" I ask, after I see he's gotten some color back.

  "I'm fine, Sis. Much better now."

  I smile and nod, then keep an eye out for undead. A big black Chevy truck turns onto this street and jumps the curb, pulling close to the porch. The men all load the stuff up with Dustin trotting over to help. In no time the truck is loaded and we're ready to go. Jake rides in the truck with the other man, Dustin drives the bus, and Will rides with Dad and me.

  Will is very excited to see the dog and, since he knows a bit about animals, takes a look at her throat. I'm relieved when he tells me she'll be fine. Then he asks me what happened while he was gone back at the station. Dad and I both fill him in and he tells the dog how good a dog she is for saving me. The dog is loving the attention and gives him a big wet kiss from chin to forehead.

  We make our way out of town and head to the bigger city of St. Thomas. Dustin leads us to the hospital where my youngest was born. All the memories of that day flood back as I see the front of the hospital. I'm so grateful that the amnesia didn't last, I would have lost all the important memories like this one.

  We drive around to the ER doors, and all but the passengers on the bus get out. Jake tells us he and Luke-the man from the roof-are going to help us get the area we need secure and then are going to come back and stay with the others. Dad goes over to the bus with a couple hand guns until they can get back. I tell the dog to stay in the truck when she gets up to go with us. She whines but lays back down, and I stare at her in shock. I can't frikken believe she obeyed me!

  Dustin leads the way, and with Will on one side and Jake on the other helping me, we find a wheelchair near the ER check-in desk. I drop into the chair and start rubbing my good leg as it aches from having to be the only thing holding me up. We kill what zombies we find inside while Will pushes me around, and then we follow Dustin down a short hall to a room that has an x-ray machine. Dustin turns it on and explains it will be a few minutes until he's got everything set up.

  Luke and Jake leave us to go block off and clear this area of the hospital. Will pulls up a chair next to me and grabs my hand, asking me how I'm doing.

  "I'm alright. Ready to be back at Rose's and sleep for a few days. You?"

  "I'm ok. Ready to do the same."

  Dustin finally comes back in and I notice right away he's gotten himself a shower and has changed clothes. He doesn't look so bad when he's not wearing zombie bits and pieces. And he smells so much better!

  He gets me positioned the way he wants me and gets his damn x-rays. After awhile, he confirms it's a non-displaced lateral malleolus fracture. Whatever the hell that means. For everyone who isn't a doctor...it's broke.

  Fortunately, he says it doesn't require any surgery, but will still need to be in a cast up to just above my knee. He says this as if it's a good thing. I stare hard at him until his encouraging smile fades. The realization of the world we now live in, where being able to run is a requirement for survival, finally hits him.

  "Well, it will only be for about two weeks. Then I can take it off and you can use a removable plastic cast walker for about ten more weeks. You will also need some physical therapy. I really should take more x-rays after a few weeks, but with things the way they are, we're just going to have to do what we can and hope for the best."

  "Alright. Then let's get this done so I can go home, " I tell him, irritably.

  First, Dustin cleans the scraped skin on my hands and my right cheek that I got from the road then he leads us to another room and starts casting my foot and leg. It hurts like hell but I just want it done. Finally, it is.

  Dustin leads and Will pushes me through the ER and back to the door. Dustin stops at the little pharmacy and tells us he'll be right back. A few minutes later, he comes out with a large bag and leads us to the truck.

  Will helps me inside the back and I lean against the far door, putting my feet up on the seat. No easy task when one of them feel as if it weighs at least five hundred pounds. Will grabs a pillow and a rolled up sleeping bag and places them under my foot. Right now, I'm tired and pissed off from the pain.

  Dustin leans in through the door at my feet with his hand out toward me and I take the pill he has sitting on his palm. Thank God he had taken a shower, because if he hadn't, I damn sure wouldn't have put anything in my mouth he was touching. Then he tells us he'll be just a minute and disappears back inside the hospital. His head reappears and he calls out for some help. Jake, Will, and Luke all go inside.

  After several minutes pass, they finally reemerge, and each of them are pushing a gurney, which are loaded with supplies! Every single bit of it is medical supplies and medication, and I smile as I relax against the door. Those are going to come in so handy. Good thinking, Dustin.

  They load some of the stuff in the back of our truck and I hear Dustin telling the other guys that two of them should each take a mobile medical unit because they have a lot of equipment we can use at Rose's. Dustin says he'll drive one of them and Jake volunteers to drive the other. Dad is going to drive Luke's truck and Luke will drive the bus while Will drives our truck.

  I let out a big frustrated sigh, lean forward, and look back at them through the open cargo door.

  "Great! I am so freakin' son-of-a-bitching deliriously delighted that we got that settled. Now...can we get the hell out of here, already?" I told ya, I'm tired and in pain which translates to I. AM. A. BITCH!

  Dustin runs over to where the mobile units are, and apparently already has the keys because it doesn't take him long to get his started, and Jake's does the same soon after. They drive up next to us and finish loading the rest of the supplies inside the units.

  Finally, finally, we can go. The units go first, and everyone else follows behind. Will and I are the last in line. I am so relieved to be going home, I give another sigh, but this one is soft and happy.

  "How you doing, Precious?" Will calls back to me.

  "Relieved. Happy. Mostly in freakin' pain, but I think the pain pill may be starting to work. It's not as bad as it was."

  "Well, why don't you just relax and try to get some sleep," he suggests.

  "Sounds like a good idea to me," I tell him, already starting to drift.

  I don't know how long I've been out, but I struggle to open my eyes when I feel the truck stop and hear loud voices. I can't open them, so I just give up and go back to sleep.

  Sometime later, I do get one eye slightly open and see two men in the front seat with Will, both with beautiful matching red hair.

  I close my eyes and giggle.

  "Honey? You alright?" I hear Will ask.

  Giggling even harder, I manage to answer, "ju know wha?" I can hear that my own voice is slurred. None of you need to tell me.

  "What, Baby?" he asks, amusement in his voice.

  "Ah think Duzzin give me zum good sheet!"

  "What do you mean?"

  "Ahm high az hell. I zee two lep-ra-conz sitt'n up front witchu. Don't let dem take all da gold!" I giggle, and as I'm falling back into unconsciousness again, I hear three different men laugh.

  Chapter Fifty-One

  I'm being shook awake, but I don't wanna wake up! I'm dreaming about leprechauns, and rainbows, and gold, and...good things.

  But it's all gone as I hear Will calling my name and shaking me a little harder. I open my eyes to barely-there slits, and see that the sky isn't as dark as it had been when I went to sleep. Focusing on Will above me, I ask him where we are.

  "We're at your sister's."

  "Really? Oh that's lovely! I want out. Now!"

  Will helps me sit up then get my cement leg out. He hands me the crutches Dustin took from the hospital and I stand and sit, stand and sit as he measures and adjusts them. Eventually, we
are ready to go.

  But before I can even get past the truck, I'm confronted with two people I never thought I'd see again. And then my face burns as red as their hair. Oh lord!

  I glance at Will and he's grinning big-time back at me. I look back at the other two and they are grinning just as big.

  "Don't worry, all your gold is safe," Joel, my oldest nephew, and the CDC doctor, says.

  "We put our leprechaun outfits away but we can wear them if you like," from Gage, my nephew who likes to blow things up.

  I glare at all three of them, trying to cover the embarrassment and my very red face. My glare fades fast as they throw their arms around me.

  "I'm so freakin' happy to see you two. I love you guys and missed you so much. Has your mom and dad seen you yet?"

  Joel laughs as he takes a step back. "We love you, too, Aunt Canada. No. Grandma said they had gone out to walk the fence. So we thought we would go and surprise them."

  "They're going to be so excited to see you guys. Hurry! Go find them."

  Laughing, they run off to do just that. As I'm just about to try getting up the front steps, Will and I hear a very loud scream. Not a bad scream. A good one. A very good one.

  A few tears leak out, but I don't care. Happiness is one emotion that we will all cherish every time we're fortunate enough to get it. Not so sure we'll have a whole lot of it, but we're damn sure going to try.

  My boys come flying out the door and the happiness is replaced by terror as I'm expecting the momentum of their bodies crashing into mine to throw me down the two stairs I've managed to get up. But Will stops them just in time and they finally focus on the crutches and then my cast. We all exchange hugs, although my return hugs are rather awkward, to say the least.

  "Oh wow, Mom! That's so cool!" Bo exclaims.

  Cool? HA! Not really.

  "Can I sign it?" Ash asks me.

  "Let's let your mom get inside so she can sit down, and then you can sign it," Will tells them.

  I give Will a grateful smile and we go inside. It's so wonderful to be in this house, with all the people I love, and to hear all the noise. The boys sign my cast and then all the other kids come over to sign and draw pictures on it. I laugh as they explain their pictures and tell me their pictures will make my foot feel better. I can't tell you how many times my foot got banged around, but I'm so happy to be back, I don't mind. I watch them for a few minutes as they play with the dog. Even though my head can hardly stand it, I smile at their laughter and squeals of happiness.

  Rose comes over and offers me and Will her bed to get some sleep in, since it's downstairs, and we gratefully accept.

  As we are on our way to the bedroom, Sara-the bitch herself-comes up to us.

  "Look, I just wanted to tell you how sorry I am for everything. I'm begging you to blame it on my state of mind at the time. I mean, I had just been raped and beaten, my husband had been killed then come back as a zombie, and I have no idea if any of my other family are still living. I'm really so very, very sorry. Will you forgive me?"

  I look at Will and he shrugs. He nods at her and says he forgives her. But not me. Something's not right. I had just talked to Rose a few hours ago and Sara was still being her typical self. But maybe I should let her think that I think everything's ok. So I nod as well, promising myself to keep an eye on her.

  "Great! I hope we can be friends now. All of us," Sara says, oozing sweetness from every pore.

  I give a slight smile at her and take a few more hops forward on my crutches, when she asks Will if he could help her with something really fast, it won't take long. Will and I look at each other. I shrug and nod. So he reluctantly walks outside with Sara and, like an idiot, I only have my eye on one thing, the bed inside this doorway. I get inside and manage to get my heavy leg up on the bed.

  Getting comfortable, I'm just about to drift off to sleep when I hear Will come in and shut the door.

  Chapter Fifty-Two

  "What the hell did she want?' I ask him, my eyes closed.

  No answer.

  "Will?"

  No answer.

  I open my eyes and raise my head. Will's standing at the foot of the bed, just staring at me. His eyes are red. His entire body is shaking.

  "Will? What the hell? What's wrong? What did that bitch do?"

  I'm trying to get to the bottom of the bed but my damn cast is twisted in the sheet. But the closer I do get, the further back he moves.

  I finally just stop and look back at him.

  "What the hell is going on, Will? You're scaring me!"

  He never says a word. He just throws something on the bed right in front of me. I reach down, pick it up...and stare in horror at the image on the slick photo paper.

  Before I can say anything, Will turns and storms out. I struggle to get untangled and then fumble with the crutches. Getting them under my arms, I leave the room as fast as I can. I look around the living room and the dining room and can't find him.

  Rose walks in the front door, looking confused, and when she sees me, hurries over.

  "Canada, where's Will going?"

  "What did he say?" I ask her, my voice shaky as hell.

  "I asked him where he was going and he told me it didn't matter and he wouldn't be back. He left, took off walking with just a sword."

  "Oh, God, Rose! Go get the guys. Hurry!" I practically scream at her.

  Rose runs off to get them and I go out onto the porch.

  My anger is so high and I've not taken any of my medications for the bipolar in days. My heart is banging so hard, the tunnel vision is back, and the blood is whooshing in my ears. My skin feels tight and tingly. My hands are clenched tightly into fists. I feel like my body is going to explode if I can't release some of this pure rage boiling inside me.

  The guys rush out and ask me "What's wrong?"and "What's going on?"

  I tell them they have to find Will, that he's angry about something that isn't true, and that he plans to let the zombies kill him.

  They all rush off, splitting into several different vehicles. Dad Rex, Dad Ben, Kurt, and Greg are the only ones who stay behind out of the men, to protect all the others. And Jake is here, looking at me silently, intently, and with confusion.

  "Canada, what happened?" he asks me in a quiet, concerned voice.

  I show him the photo. I watch his face as it turns from curious to outraged.

  "Where did you get this?"

  "Will got it from Sara," I tell him.

  Jake stares at the photo, but he's not really looking at it. I can tell he's thinking-about what, I don't know. Finally, he looks at me. A decision had been made and I waited to here it.

  "I'll go find him," he tells me.

  "Thank you. Don't kill him."

  I put my hand on his arm and stop him as he walks by. "And don't let him kill you."

  "You coming with me?" he asks me.

  "Come back for me in about half an hour if you don't find him?"

  "Sure. We'll find him, Canada. We'll find him." He squeezes my arm and runs to his truck.

  I watch as he drives away, and when the trees surrounding the driveway swallow his truck whole, I turn and go back inside.

  In the bedroom, I grab my bag. Opening it, I pull out my handgun and and make sure it's loaded. Sliding it into my holster on my fatigues, I go back through the living room.

  Cornering my sister in the dining room, I ask her where Sara is. She tells me she was going to the barn earlier.

  "K. I'll be back."

  "O...k. What are you going to do to her?"

  "Talk to her, find out why she's still pissing everyone off. Oh, and if Will comes back or if Jake gets back before I do, have him wait for me. I've got my gun and everything else I need, so I'm ready."

  "Will do."

  She walks off into the living room, and I walk out to the porch. I slowly navigate down the porch steps and start toward the barn, each jarring of the crutch under my arm makes the rage even higher. Redder. Thicker.
>
  I reach the barn door, which is open about a foot. Pulling it wider, I go inside. It's gloomy, barely any light inside, and I wonder why Sara would want to come here. If she even is here. Is this to be her hiding place? Hard to hide with this many people about.

  A slight rustling noise to my left and I turn down the aisle, following the sound. From one of the horseless stalls, I see shadows moving on the floor outside the open stall door. Drawing nearer, I close in on the open doorway. Inside, I see Sara apparently making the stall her new home, with blankets and pillows, a lantern, and a stash of food and water. I continue to watch her silently, as she makes her "bed."

  I watch her until the rage finally boils over. My body feels as if it's swelling to twice it's normal size, in height and muscles. My strength becomes something so powerful that it's screaming to be released. Blood pours from both my clenched fists as my nails dig in deeper. More blood trails from both nostrils to mix with the blood from my hands on the floor. I've never had the rage go this far before. Close. But never this far.

  I enter the stall and Sara spins around when I let the crutch I don't necessarily need clatter to the floor. When she sees my face, the blood, and the deadly rage in my eyes-she screams in terror.

  My face breaks in a twisted, evil grin, and I start forward.

  To be continued...........

  From The Author

  Thank you for purchasing and reading my third book in this series. Apparently, if all the messages and emails are any indication, quite a few of you were not happy about what had happened to Will in book two. Hope you're happy now! And just in case anyone is wondering if his being back is only because of unhappy readers, I can assure you, NO! Except for editing changes, no one will influence me to change the way I feel my books need to go. Besides, I had already written that part of book three before book two even came out. So HA!